Friday October 11th: Not cleanliness, but emptiness

If we remove evil from our lives but do not fill the space with Christ, we leave ourselves open to greater spiritual dangers.

Luke 11: 15 – 26

In today’s passage, Jesus warns of the danger of complacency in Christian living. He describes how an unclean spirit, once cast out, may return to its former house (a person’s soul). If it finds it swept and put in order it may go off and bring seven other spirits more wicked than itself.

The concern here is not cleanliness but emptiness. If we remove evil from our lives but do not fill the space with Christ, we leave ourselves open to greater spiritual dangers. We believe, in life, when we get a relapse after an illness, it is worse than the original illness. It is the same with spiritual wellness.

Having a relationship with Christ is key. Any relationship requires daily commitment. Our relationship with Jesus is nurtured by regular prayer, community worship, participation in the sacraments, reading the scriptures and practicing charity.

We must fill ourselves with Jesus if we want to avoid evil. The saying, ‘idle hands are the devil’s workshop’ is very true. Do not be spiritually idle.